The results of an investigation into how officers dealt with a man with a serious head injury have been released by the police watchdog

An investigation into how police dealt with a man who suffered a serious head injury has criticised a “lack of communication” between police officers and NHS staff.

The investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) centred on the arrest of a 31-year-old man – known only as Mr A – and his subsequent removal from hospital.

The man sustained life-changing injuries, including several skull fractures and brain bleeding, in the initial incident and is still recovering at home.

Officers had been called to Pontllanfraith in Blackwood on September 22, 2012, following reports a man was lying drunk in the street.

He was taken by ambulance to Nevill Hall hospital in Abergavenny and a witness told police at the scene the man had hit his head on the concrete pavement.

The IPCC investigation found that the police’s arrest of the 31-year-old man at hospital and the way they conveyed him to Ystrad Mynach police station were reasonable.

But it found “a lack of adequate communication” between the NHS and police over the man’s condition when he was taken away from the hospital.

The investigation also found there were some shortcomings by Gwent Police in carrying out the necessary custody procedures while the man was detained.

The man had an initial assessment at hospital but a few hours later police were called by staff as they were concerned by the man’s “abusive behaviour”.

He became unwell the following morning while in custody and was taken back to hospital where he was later discovered to have several fractures to his skull and bleeding to his brain.

IPCC commissioner Jan Williams said: “A lack of adequate communication between the NHS and police in this case, together with shortcomings in implementing custody procedures, led to a distinct lapse in the standards expected for detaining someone in police custody.

“It concerns me that police had no written information from medical staff over the man’s condition when he was removed from the hospital and no protocol was in place to do so.”

She added: “I am pleased that Gwent Police has since taken steps to ensure that documented information is provided by A&amp;E departments to accompany any person being taken from hospital into police custody so that custody nurses can make informed decisions about detention and treatment.

“I recognise police were in a difficult position with limited options when called to the hospital. They took sensible steps to check the man’s history and seek help for him prior to conveying him to the police station.”

But Ms Williams said that while police maintained regular observations on the man in custody and he did not complain of being unwell no medical assessment was carried out and officers appeared to attribute his behaviour to drunkenness rather than the effects of a head injury.

She said the custody sergeant did not receive all of the relevant information about the arrest and “did not adequately question the causes of the man’s attendance at hospital”.

Ms Williams added: “The custody sergeant was not fully apprised of all relevant information around the arrest and did not adequately question the causes of the man’s attendance at hospital.

“I have urged Gwent Police to conduct force-wide training on dealing with head injuries and further work to ensure all officers are aware of their responsibilities in the custody manual.”

The IPCC investigation found no case to answer for misconduct against any individual officers but recommended the force address performance issues for the custody sergeant.

WalesOnline is part of Media Wales, publisher of the Western Mail, South Wales Echo, Wales on Sunday and the seven Celtic weekly titles, offering you unique access to our audience across Wales online and in print.